District Plan

Assistive Technology District Plan

Purpose

The purpose of the Fitzgerald Public School District Assistive Technology plan is to ensure access to AT devices and services so that all students in need of assistive technology can achieve educational success.

Components of the plan

The plan is divided into eight sections:

• Introduction

• Description of the district’s AT representatives

• District procedures for obtaining AT devices and services

• Recommended language to use when documenting AT in the IEP

• District plan to provide all staff with quality professional development opportunities related to AT

• District plan to collaborate with other departments to ensure coordinated efforts

• Strategy for evaluating the effectiveness of our district’s AT program

• Implementation of plan

Informing Staff of the AT Plan

It is our goal to make all staff aware of the components of the districts AT plan. Each AT representative will have a copy of the plan available in their building. Additional copies are available from the Special Education office by request. The plan will be reviewed annually.

Each building will have a presentation by a district AT representative at a staff or department meeting. During this brief presentation, the AT representative will review the Fitzgerald Public School District Assistive Technology Plan document, discuss the district’s implementation plan and its expectations for the plans used within the district.

Mission Statement

We recognize that assistive technology can eliminate barriers and enable all individuals to be participating and contributing members of society.

We believe that students with disabilities are entitled to equal access to the technology needed to ensure opportunities for learning.

We accept the responsibility to provide assistive technology services, when appropriate, to directly assist a child with or without a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device.

The mission of Fitzgerald Public Schools is to provide its staff with access to quality assistive technology training opportunities in order to build capacity to deliver quality assistive technology services.

Legal Definitions and Considerations regarding Assistive Technology

Definition of Assistive Technology Devices

“Assistive technology device” means any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional

capabilities of a child with a disability. The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted or the replacement of such device. (From the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 [IDEIA], § 300.5.)

Definition of Assistive Technology Services

The term “assistive technology service” means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. Such term includes – (A) the evaluation of the needs of a child with a disability, including a functional evaluation of the child in the child’s customary environment; (B) purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices by children with disabilities; (C) selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or replacing of assistive technology devices; (D) coordinating and using other therapies, interventions, or services with assistive technology devices, such as those associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and programs; (E) training or technical assistance for a child with a disability or, if appropriate, that child’s family; and (F) training or technical assistance for professionals (including individuals providing education or rehabilitation services), employers, or other individuals who provide services to, employ, or are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of children with disabilities.

(From the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 [IDEIA] § 300.6.)

Assistive Technology

Each public agency shall ensure that assistive technology devices or assistive technology services, or both, as those terms are defined in 300.5-300.6, are made available to a child with a disability if required as part of the child’s: (a) special education; (b) related services; or (c) supplementary aids and services. 300.308 Development of IEP 300.324 (v) The IEP Team must consider whether the child needs assistive technology devices and services. No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) The No Child Left Behind Act mandates that in order to be considered for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) 95% of the students enrolled in that district must participate in the state’s standardized general assessment or the state’s designate alternate assessment. Of the 95% of the student body participating in the assessment, only 1% is permitted to participate in the alternate assessment.

Assistive Technology District Representatives

Fitzgerald Public School District AT Team Makeup

The district AT Representative Team is comprised of an AT representative from each building. Requests for assistance should be directed to the AT representative in that building. The AT representative will make plans to address the requests with the classroom teacher(s).

Job Description

• Act as a resource person to all staff regarding AT.

• Support the teachers/teams as they use assistive technology in the classrooms:

  • • • Discuss student needs and various technologies that may help

      • Observe students and make suggestions

      • Assist staff in identifying how AT would be implemented with the curriculum

      • Assist staff in trying various AT devices

      • Model the implementation of AT with specific curricular activities

• Provide support to IEP teams as they implement individual student or program level technology accommodations

• borrow equipment from the MISD Assistive Technology Lending Library as needed

• Coordinate assistive technology staff training

• Seek out additional resources as needed

• Complete the initial and follow-up staffing(s) paper work.

• Submit AT Form 2’s to the MISD when needed.

• Act as liaison between Fitzgerald Schools and the MISD AT Team as the need to share AT information arises

• Attend the bi-annual AT representative meetings at the MISD

• Evaluate the district’s assistive technology program annually

• Update the district AT plan annually

• Meet quarterly with the Director of Special Education

• Meet twice yearly with the technology and curriculum directors/representatives

• Keep track of equipment inventory

• Process requests to borrow equipment

Professional Development for AT Team

All AT representatives on Fitzgerald’s AT Team will attend the initial four-day training at MISD. Subsequently, they attend bi-annual meetings at MISD. They are also encouraged to attend workshops and conferences on specific topics related to AT as decided by the team. These decisions will be based upon input from the director of special education. The AT team is encouraged to read journals and professional materials related to assistive technology.

District Procedures Related to AT Devices and Services

AT Devices

District Owned

Procedures to make staff aware of availability:

• Distribute list of AT inventory at building staff meetings annually

• Distribute addendum periodically for new equipment purchased

Procedures to access/borrow equipment:

• Requests are sent to the building AT representative

• Submit Equipment Request Form

• Arrange with building AT representative to obtain the device

• Equipment must be returned when the student is no longer using it or by May 15th for inventory, repair, and storage

Procedures to purchase equipment for district inventory:

• Requests or suggestions can be forwarded to any AT team member

• AT Team meets and discusses possible purchases

• Requests are forwarded to the director of special education

• If requests exceed the budget agreed upon, the AT Team meets with the director to discuss and decide on actions

Procedures to purchase specific equipment for an individual student:

• A staffing is held to determine specific needs

• Requests are based on positive outcome data presented at the follow-up staffing

• Requests will be presented to the Director of Special Education for consideration

MISD Owned

Procedures to make staff aware of availability:

• A list of AT equipment available in the MISD AT Lending Library will be distributed when requested by the Fitzgerald staff

Procedures to access/borrow equipment:

• All staff may borrow from the MISD AT Lending Library after determining that the item is not available through the district.

• If assistance is needed in determining the appropriate device to request, contact the building AT representative. They will talk with the staff member about the needs and make suggestions. If needed, the AT team member will contact the MISD AT Team for further suggestions.

• Once the item is determined, staff can request items from the MISD AT Lending Library via the internet to borrow the equipment.

Procedures Related to Service:

Procedures for teachers/staff to get assistance:

District staff are encouraged to ask the AT building representative for assistance in implementing assistive technology with students on a program level or an individual basis. The AT representative may:

• • • Discuss student needs and various technologies that may help

    • Observe students and make suggestions

    • Assist staff in identifying how AT would be implemented with the curriculum

    • Assist staff in trying various AT devices

    • Model the implementation of AT with specific curricular activities

If more help is needed:

Training

AT Team members may provide or arrange for training on devices or software application for small and large groups. Request AT training via email or phone.

Problem-Solving (AT Staffings)

When the staff member and the AT representative decide that an AT staffing is appropriate, the AT representative works with the staff member to schedule the meeting. The staff member requesting the meeting will coordinate the time and location and notify the IEP team of the meeting. The AT representative then chairs the meeting, takes the notes, submits the report, and supports the team during implementation. The follow-up staffing is scheduled during the first meeting. The AT representative chairs that meeting and, again, takes the notes, submits the report, and supports the team during implementation.

Procedures to obtain MISD consultation

The IEP Team and AT Representative may together decide that a consultation from the MISD AT Team would be helpful at any point after at least one follow-up staffing. The AT team prepares and submits a Form 2 with supporting documentation to request the consultation. See the Form 2 manual with the Director of Special Education.

Documentation in the IEP

When the team needs to explore AT with the student:

• Include a statement under Supplementary Aids and Services that the student’s assistive technology needs should be considered further, and various assistive technology tools will be systematically assessed to support the student’s progress toward meeting the IEP goals and objectives.

When the team has considered AT carefully and it is not needed:

• Include a statement under Supplementary Aids and Services that the student’s assistive technology needs have been carefully considered, but is not necessary to support the student’s goals and objectives at this time.

When AT is needed as evidenced by outcome measures:

• Include a statement under Supplementary Aids and Services, in goals and objectives, or in the present level of academic and functional performance. The statement should directly reference an IEP goal and should identify equipment by generic description.

Under Supplementary Aids and Services

• state what the student will do using assistive technology that references an IEP goal using generic names for equipment.

In Goals and Objectives

• name the generic equipment that the student will be using in order to complete a goal and objective.

In Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance

• state how the student uses assistive technology to perform any activity or task being described.

When AT is needed on the M-STEP/MI-ACCESS

• Include a statement under M-STEP/MI-ACCESS Accommodations stating the accommodation(s) required for the student to participate in the assessment. Accommodations must be specific to the subsection of the M-STEP/MI-ACCESS and listed separately. Assistive technology tools used in assessment must be the customary tools the student uses during instruction. For more information on M-STEP/MI-ACCESS accommodations and Standard and Nonstandard accommodations, please refer to the “AT in the IEP” section of the Macomb County AT guidebook.